The acid-fast staining properties of Mycobacterium leprae

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Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae seemingly has a strong affinity for waxes, and removal of paraffin from sections of lepromatous material destroys the acid-fast capacity of the organism. If treated by certain mono-cyclic or dicyclic terpenes during staining, some of the acid-fast capacity can be restored. On the basis of these findings a new technique for the treatment of paraffin sectioned material was developed with satisfactory regaining of the acid-fast characteristics of the bacillus.